Holding On
by damagedSky
Summary: Years after the chuunin exams, the wounds Neji has left had not left Hinata, and as she lay there on the hospital bed, Hanabi held her hand and cried out for the only mother she knew.


Hanabi stared at her sister's pale face as she lay on the hospital bed. She bit her lip as she noticed how pale Hinata's usually rosy cheeks were. She worried a lot about her sister. Ever since the chuunin exams years ago, Hinata's health hadn't been that great. She hid it fairly well with her team and other people, but not to her own people. Looking at her with the Byakugan would clearly show how dire her condition was. She gets attacks frequently, but a trip to their clan healers was more than enough to help her. There was never any need to bring her to the hospital.

Except for right now.

The attack was a lot stronger than the others. In fact, it got Hinata to drop to her knees. She also started coughing large amounts of blood. When Hanabi saw her in that state, she wasted no time in calling for help.

She spent quite some time with the top-class medical ninjas Konoha had to offer. Even the Godaime Hokage went to check on her personally, but even after hours of trying, all they could do was stabilize her condition. They said that her heart had a huge gaping hole on it. Even the most knowledgeable of med-nins were unable to help her. Her heart never completely healed from Neji's attack, and the constant strain it received caused it widen and open up more. The med-nins told her that if they try to tamper with it, it just might get worse. They could do nothing more.

The only thing they actually recommended to her was hope and pray for the best.

Hinata had visitors a few hours ago. Naruto, Sakura, Sai,Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, Juugo, Kiba, Shino, Kurenai and the baby, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Kakashi, Iruka, Tenten, Gai, Lee, Neji… even the Kazekage and his sibling dropped by. They didn't all come at the same time, but their intentions were clear. They were very much worried about the Hyuuga heiress. Hanabi never realized just how many people her sister had touched over the years.

Hanabi knew her sister would have been flustered about how Naruto was staring at her so intently. She should have seen how they all looked. The usually noisy couple that consisted of Suigetsu and Karin actually quieted down. Lee and Gai didn't speak a word. Even the Kazekage's calm façade seemed to crack because he looked utterly agitated.

Neji had to be restrained a number of times as he tried to punish himself. He blamed himself for Hinata's condition. He said he wasn't worth being forgiven. Personally, Hanabi felt as though he was right. She blamed him as well but tried to calm him down anyway, she knew that would have been for what Hinata would have done.

Hanabi grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed it gently, willing for her sister to wake up. She whispered to her just how many people were worried about her and that she should wake up and show everyone her beautiful smile again.

She said father was worried. She told her that he locked himself inside his room and was begging to God to make her get better soon. He wanted to talk to his daughter and hold her in his arms. He wanted to give her the kind of attention he should've given to her years ago.

She told her how Naruto had cried this morning when he visited. How he actually lunged to the bed and sobbed. He asked her to wake up and be with him. He asked her forgiveness for never answering her confession. He said he loved her, he was just confused. But he was sure now, he wanted to live his life with her, if only she'd wake up.

She whispered how her teammates cried at the sight of her. How they stayed by her side and just watched her, tears falling from their eyes. Even Shino spilled tears for her. Kurenai had been sitting on the window, her baby crying loudly as though he felt her mother's pain.

Hanabi smiled as a few tears trickled down her chin.

"Nee-chan…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Please wake up."

Hinata didn't respond.

"Nee-chan… please don't leave me. I'm begging you. I don't want to lose you." Her grip tightened and her tears gushed down her cheeks like a waterfall, "Please nee-chan. You promised me that you'd help me become chuunin… You told me you were going to teach me how to make those ointments… You said you were never going to leave my side!" Her voice had gotten higher and she shook her sister's shoulders frantically.

"Nee-chan, I need you. You're the only mother I have. Please don't go. First mother… I don't want to lose you. I need you… You're my mother remember? You can't go!"

Hanabi recalled the time when she had snuck inside her sister's room and snuggled up under the covers with her. She told her how she was made-fun of by the other kids in town for not having a mother. She cried unto her sister's chest and told her how she wanted a mother. How she wanted someone to tuck her to bed and kiss her goodnight. She wanted someone to make her breakfast and tell her she was a good girl. She wanted someone to just hold her and protect her when she was afraid.

She just wanted someone to love her unconditionally.

And Hinata told her that she'd be her mother, that she would tuck her in and kiss her goodnight. That she would make her breakfast and tell her a thousand times and more at how she was such a good little girl. She would happily hold her and protect her when she was afraid, even at the cost of her own life.

And she promised to lover her unconditionally.

Hanabi didn't believe her then, but she'd always feel a light kiss on her forehead as she drifts of to sleep, and a beautiful breakfast always awaited her the next morning.

As Hanabi cried at her side, Hinata's eyes fluttered open.

"W-what's wrong Ha-Hanabi chan?" she asked, her voice hoarse. Hanabi's head shot up.

"Nee-chan!" she screamed as she hugged her sister firmly but not tightly.

"Don'tleavemeI'mbeggingyoustayherewithme…" Hanabi had broke down again and babbled nonstop in her sister's ear, begging her to stay with her.

Hinata smiled and rubbed comforting circles on her sister's back.

"Imouto… It's alright. I'm here."

Hanabi cried harder then and didn't let go. Once she did however, she looked straight into her sister's eyes and told her three words that Hinata had always wanted to hear from her sister's lips.

"I love you."

Hinata smiled and hugged her sister again, "I love you too."

**a/n: **I'm sorry if it's so crappy, I just wanted to contribute something for Mother's Day… and I know Hinata's not a mother (yet anyway XD) and that Mother's Day was ages ago. But I really wanted to do something for moms around the world… Hehehehehe.


End file.
